UNITED STATES

On March 2, 2015, HRLF filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on behalf of a group of individuals in Flushing, New York, who were allegedly targeted for violence and intimidation as a result of their actual or perceived status as Falun Gong believers. The alleged perpetrators are individuals associated with an organization called the Chinese Anti-Cult World Alliance, an anti-Falun Gong organization with alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Plaintiffs filed claims under federal civil rights statutes and a New York hate crimes statute, as well as claims for assault, battery, and other torts. After the Defendants filed a motion to dismiss the Plaintiffs’ federal claims, Magistrate Judge Vera Scanlon issued a report and recommendation to District Court Judge Sandra Townes that the motion to dismiss be denied in its entirety, handing the Plaintiffs a significant victory. The suit is currently pending before the District Court.

Doe v. Cisco Systems, Inc. is a case currently being litigated in the Northern District of California against Cisco Systems, Inc., a major American network technology corporation. Falun Gong believers filed the case based on their subjection to serious human rights abuses in China through the use of the “Golden Shield” and especially its anti-Falun Gong systems. The Golden Shield is an unprecedented network security system used for the widespread censorship, surveillance, identification, tracking, apprehension, and torture of Chinese dissidents. Cisco has been the major provider of network security “solutions” in China since the late 1990’s.

HRLF filed a landmark case under U.S. law regarding the precise parameters of speech that incites or aids and abets criminal conduct (e.g.,Gang Chenet. al. v. Zhao Zhizhenet. al., case no. 3:04-cv-1146 RCN). Plaintiffs have submitted several briefs in support thereof. The case is pending before the District Court of Connecticut.

SPAIN

In Spain, HRLF is lead counsel on behalf of Falun Gong believers subjected to torture and genocide in China. The case was heard before the Central Court for Preliminary Criminal Proceedings Number 2 of the National Spanish Court, and an indictment was issued on November 2, 2009. The defendants in the case are: Jiang Zemin, former President of China and Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party; Luo Gan, Coordinator of the 610 Office; Jia Qinglin, President of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Bo Xilai, former Chinese Minister of Commerce; and Wu Guanzheng, President of the Chinese Communist Party’s Disciplinary Commission. The defendants are charged with the crimes of genocide and torture. The court exercised jurisdiction over the defendants under the principle of universal jurisdiction. The case is modeled on the Pinochet case, where the Spanish court recognized universal jurisdiction over some of the defendants. The judge in this case, Judge D. Ismael Moreno, admitted important evidence submitted by HRLF. He has also recently indicted the defendants and authorized rogatory letters to be sent to each of the defendants in China, asking them to answer questions based on their involvement in the persecution. By court order, if any of these defendants sets foot in a country with which Spain has an extradition treaty, the defendant(s) must be detained and transported to Spain to stand trial for the atrocities that the defendants have committed.